Mechanical basting puller



June 16, 1964 R, B. STEWART, JR 3,137,420

MECHANICAL BASTING FULLER Original Filed Oct. 1'7, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 16, 1964 R. B. STEWART, JR

MECHANICAL BASTING FULLER Original Filed Oct. 17, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent F 3,137,420 MECHANICAL BASTING PULLER Robert B. Stewart, Jr., Tupelo, Miss., assignor to The Reece Corporation, Waltham, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Continuation of application Ser. No. 62,917, Oct. 17, 1960. This application Jan. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 251,699 18 Claims. (Cl. 223-1) machine to pull basting threads from tailored garments at a substantial savings in time.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a machine to pull bastings which is extremely simple to employ and entirely safe in regard to its effect upon the fabric of the garment. Heretofore basting pulling has been done by hand, using a single pointed cylindrical instrument' known as a bodkin. It has long been a tedious and laborious task and the present invention is designed to eliminate the hand work, thereby reducing not only the time in pulling bastings, but the effort as well.

A still further object of the present invention isto provide a device, simple in construction, reliable in use and which can be economically manufactured and sold.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention and the combination and arrangement of the parts of the invention, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawings, taken in conjunction with the following specifications, wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawings: p

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present invention showing the various external members in relation to each other. 7

FIGURE 2 is a sectional perspective view of one of the needles employed in the present invention, as wellas the threads it is designed to pull, which shows their relative positions to each other upon a piece of fabric at one par-' ticular instant in the needles cycle of movement.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional, partially cutaway view of the device showing an adjustment screw recessed into its underside.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional perspective, cutaway view of the invention showing a series of concave shaped multimembered tweezers enclosed in the body of the device and the means by which they are rotated, in conjunction with the rotation of the flywheel.

FIGURE Sis a perspective view of one unit of the multimembered tweezers, indicated serially in FIG. 4, set together in their usual position when not in operation.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of two arms of the multirnembered tweezers in the position of being opened by a wedge shaped spreader, in conjunction with a single broken basting thread set in a position to be closed upon by the tweezers when they have passed the wider side of the spreader.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the main body of the device is generally designated by the numeral 10 in FIGURE 1 and includes a flywheel 11, set with needles 12 and on its top surface blades 13, by which the flywheelis rotated when a stream of air is passed through the main exterior opening 14 located near the forward portion of the main body 10 of the device. A lid 17 fits snugly over the body of the device, thereby per- I 3,137,420 Patented June 16, 1964 mitting air to enter the resultant chamber only through the main-exterioropening 14 and the series of openings located in the undersisde of the device at 18 in FIG. 3.

As can readily be seen from FIG. 1, the resultant cham erally round-shank,'the working end of which is rounded so that the point 19 is turned backward and upward underneath the shank and away from the warp and filling ofthe fabric 20. The curved and rounded base 21 of each needle 12 -is-the only part of each needle-designed to come into contact with the fabric. i

The forward portion of the main body of the device has sharpened edges shown at 23 in FIG. 1 where it forms the main exterior opening 14.

In operation, when the flywheel is rotated theneedles enter the opening 14 .on one side, the rounded underside of the needles holds the fabric down, in fact pushes it downward and outward while the bastingthreads 22 are sucked upward by the airstream created by the vacuum; so that they are lifted upand caught byjthe needle point 19. The needle 12 then emerges in itsrotation from the opening 14 and thereby pulls the basting thread through the opening permitting the thread to be cut by the sharpened'edges 23 around the main exterior opening 14. The short lengths of basting thread are then sucked away from' the needle whenit reaches a point opposite to the opening 14, and into the vacuum hose where they are disposed'ofiin a conventional manner.

The flywheel 11,. asindicated in FIG. 3, may be raised or lowered by means of a screw 24 countersunk into the base-of the device directly in line with the shaft of the bered tweeezers 27, is setinto the base of the device just to the rear of the flywheel adjustment screw 24. This cylinder is an auxiliary unit to the flywheel, for the purpose of picking up any basting thread ends, broken short I but not pulled free of the fabric by-the flywheel needles.

,In operation; thebattery of multirnembered tweezers are rotated clockwise, in FIG. 4, by means of a worm gear 28 on the motor shaft29 acting upon the tweezer axle gear 30. During rotation an airstream, created by the vacuum heretofore describedjenters the cylinder 26 through the smallholes .18 in its base. This airstream draws into the holes any basting that maybe left in the fabric and positions them just front of awedge shaped tweezer spreader 32. a

Now therefore when the tweezer armsare rotated-the tweezer jaws 33 strike the sharpedge 340i the tweezer spreader 32 and are spread apart. When the tweezer jaws 33 passthe wide edge 35 of thetwee'zer spreader 32, they return to their normal tightly. closed position and catchthe already positioned basting thread 22. Asthe tweezer jaws continue to rotate they lift the basting from out through an airshaft 37 located just above and tothe the fabric and moveit to another tweezer spreader 36 which-again opens the jawstorelease the basting thread into the airstream entering the cylinder at 18-and passing V 3 I front'of the tweezer spreader 36, which airshaft leads to the vacuum hose 16. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the spreaders 32 and 36 are mounted on the main body 10 of the device.

The arms of the multimembered tweezers 27 are in the first instance concave and anchored to the tweezer axle shaft 31 with their jaws tightly closed. The tweezer arms are moreover sufficiently flexible to be opened by the tweezer spreaders and to snap closed again once they are past that device.

Now therefore, the motor shaft 29, connected to a conventional electric motor 38 of FIG. 1, runs through the cylinder 26 to a cogwheel 39 at the base of the flywheel 11, Where a worm gear 4% is attached and rotates the cogwheel 39 which in turn rotates the flywheel 11. In the case of very light basting threads this device may be operated without the power of the electric motor 38, the force of the airstream acting upon the blades 13 being sufficient for rotation.

In operation of the mechanical basting puller it is only necessary for the operator to hold the unit in hand and move its base over the surface of the fabric where basting threads are located. The needles 12 will pull, cut and carry away any basting thread not having a loose end. The auxiliary unit in the cylinder 26 will grasp and pull any ordinary basting thread having a loose end, so that all the normal basting threads employed by tailors, both by machine and hand basting, may be effectively pulled mechanically.

It is therefore now understood that the present invention fully accomplishes its intended purposes and is well adapted for practical conditions of manufacture and use.

While there has been illustrated and described the presently preferred form of construction for carrying out this invention, these are capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore understood that various changes, variations and modifications are within the spirit and scope of this invention as defined by the claims.

Having thus fully described the invention and illus-' trated its use, what is claimed as new and desired to be' protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A mechanical basting puller comprising:

(a) a hollow interior member having a portion of its exterior surface adapted for contact with fabric containing basting thread stitching;

(b) at least one opening in said surface portion for access to said interior, said opening having at least one dimension between opposite sides thereof of a size to expose a length of basting thread thereunder which lies in the plane of the fabric;

() an aperture elsewhere in said member for access to its interior which is adapted for connection to a suction source in order to draw air through said opening into said interior; 7

(d) at least one basting thread ensnaring means having a working end which is bent into a hook;

(e) first means for mounting said ensnaring means within said interior so that its Working end is free to enter said opening near one side and sweep thereacross in the direction of said one dimension, while contacting the fabric for allowing its hook to ensnare a basting thread therein, to thereafter withdraw from said opening near the opposite side; and

(1) second means connected with said first means for causing the latter to repetitively sweep said working end across said opening.

2. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 1 wherein said second means causes said first means to always sweep said working end across said opening beginning near the same side.

3. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 1 wherein said hook during its sweep lies in a plan substantially normal to the fabricplane and has a point which is turned away from the fabric such that said point can make no contact therewith but is adapted to ensnare a basting thread which is lifted off of said fabric by air passing through said opening into said interior.

4. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 1 I wherein sharpened means are further provided at said opening to cut any basting thread pulled inward thereof by said hook.

5. A mechanical basting puller comprising:

(a) a hollow interior member having aportion of its a exterior surface adapted for'contact with fabric containing basting thread stitching;

(b) atleast one opening in said surface portion for 7 access to said interior, said opening having at. least (d) at least one needle shank having a non-working end, and a working end which is bent into a hook; (e) first means for connecting the non-working end of said needle shank to a pivot point within said in terior so that its working end is free to enter said opening near one side and sweep thereacross in the direction of said one dimension, while following an arcuate path approximately in the plane of the fabric" and contacting said fabric for allowing itshook to ensnare a basting thread, to thereafter withdraw from said opening near the opposite side; and p (1) second means connected with said first means for causing the latter to repetitively sweep said working end across said opening.

6. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 5 wherein said second means causes said first means to always sweep said working end across said opening begin ning near the same side. v i

7. A mechanical basting puller according. to claim 5 wherein said hook during its sweep lies in a plane substantially normal to the fabric plane and has a point which is turned backward and upward under the needle shank such that said point can make no contact with fabric beneath said opening but is adapted to ensnare a basting thread which is lifted off of said fabric by air passin through said opening into said interior.

8. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 5 wherein sharpened means are further provided at said opening to cut any basting thread pulled inward thereof by said hook.

9. A mechanical basting puller comprising: (a) a hollow interior member'having a portion of its exterior surface adapted for contact with fabric con- V taining basting thread stitching;

(b) at least one opening in said surface portion for access to said interior, said opening having at least one dimension between opposite sides thereof of a size to expose a length of basting thread thereunder which lies in the plane of the fabric;

(c) an aperture elsewhere in said member for access interior at a location away from said opening andin a plane slightly inclined toward the fabric plane such that, as the disc rotates, the working end of 7 said ensnaring means enters said opening near one side and sweeps thereacross in the directionof said dimension, while contacting the fabric for allowing its book to ensnare a basting thread therein, to

thereafter withdraw from said opening near the opposite side; and

(g) second means for constantly rotating said disc in one predetermined direction.

10. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 9 wherein said hook lies in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said disc and has a point turned such that it can make no contact with fabric beneath said opening but is adapted to ensnare a basting thread which is lifted oil. of said fabric by air passing through said opening into said interior.

11. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 9 wherein sharpened means are further provided at said opening to cut any basting thread pulled inward thereof by said hook.

12. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 9 wherein a plurality of thread ensnaring means are spaced about the periphery of said disc.

13. A mechanical basting puller comprising:

(a) a hollow interior member having a portion of its exterior surface adapted for contact with fabric containing basting thread stitching;

(b) at least one first opening in said surface portion for access to said interior, said opening having at least one dimension between opposite sides thereof of a size to expose a length of basting thread thereunder which lies in the plane of the fabric;

(0) at least one second opening in said surface portion for access to said interior, said second opening being of a size permitting an end of a basting thread to extend therethrough into said interior;

(d) an aperture elsewhere in said member for access to its interior which is adapted for connection to a suction source in order to draw air through said first and second openings into said hollow interior;

(e) at least one basting thread ensnaring means having a working end which is bent into a hook;

(f) first means for mounting said ensnaring means within said interior so that its working end is free to enter said first opening near one side and sweep thereacross in the direction of said one dimension, while contacting the fabric for allowing its hook to ensnare a basting thread therein, to thereafter withdraw from said first opening near the opposite side;

(g) at least one pair of cooperating tweezer jaws adapted to be opened or closed;

(h) second means for mounting said tweezer jaws within said interior so that they are free to move to and from a position adjacent to said second opening;

(1') third means permitting said tweezer jaws to close at said position to thereby grasp any basting thread end extending through said second opening;

(j) fourth means for separating said tweezer jaws when they are away from said position so as to release a basting thread; and

(k) fifth means conected with said first means and said second means for causing the former to repetitively sweep said working end across said first opening, and for causing the latter to repeatedly move said tweezer jaws to and from said position.

14. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 13 wherein sharpened means are further provided at said first opening to cut any basting thread pulled inward thereof by said hook.

15. A mechanical basting puller comprising:

(a) a hollow interior member having a portion of its exterior surface adapted for contact with fabric containing basting thread stitching;

(b) at least one first opening in said surface portion for access to said hollow interior, said opening having at least one dimension between opposite sides thereof of a size to expose a length of basting thread thereunder which lies in the plane of the fabric;

(0) at least one second opening in said surface portion for access to said interior, said second opening being of a size permitting an end of a basting thread to extend therethrough into said interior;

(d) an apertureelsewhere in said-member for access to its interior which is adapted for connection to a suction source in order to draw airthrough said first and second openings into said interior;

(e) at least one needle shank having a non-working end, and a working end which is bent into a hook;

' (f) first means for connecting the non-working end of said needle shank to a pivot point within said interior so that its working end is free to enter said first opening near one side and sweep thereacross in the direction of said .one dimension, while following an arcuate path approximately in the plane of the fabric and contacting said fabric for allowing its hook to ensnare. a basting thread, to thereafter withdraw from said first opening near the opposite side;

(g) at least one pair of cooperating tweezer jaws adapted to be opened or closed;

(h) second means for mounting said tweezer jaws within said interior so that they are free to move to and from a position adjacent to said second opena;

(i) third means permitting said tweezer jaws to close at said position to thereby grasp any basting thread end extending through'said second opening;

(1') fourth means for separating said tweezer 'jaws when they are away from said position so as to release a basting thread; and v (k) fifth means connected with said first means and said second means for causing the former to repetitively sweep said working end across said first opening, and for causig the latter to repeatedly move said tweezer jaws to and from said position.

16. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 15 wherein sharpened means are further provided at said first opening to cut any basting thread pulled inward thereof by said hook.

17. A mechanical basting puller comprising:

(a) a hollow interior member having a portion of its exterior surface adapted for contact with fabric containing basting thread stitching;

(b) at least one first opening in said surface portion for access to said interior, said opening having at least one dimension between opposite sides thereof of a size to expose a length of basting thread thereunder which lies in the plane of the fabric;

(0) at least one second opening in said surface portion for access to said interior, said second opening being of a size permitting an end of a basting thread to to its interior and adapted for connection to a suAc-' tion source in order to draw air through said first and second openings into said hollow interior;

(e) a disc member;

(f) at least one basting thread ensnaring means attached to the periphery of said disc, said ensnaring means having a working end bent into a hook;

(g) first means rotatably mounting said disc in said interior at a location away from said first opening and in a plane slightly inclined toward the fabric plane such that, as the disc rotates, the Working end of said ensnaring means enters said first opening near one side and sweeps thereacross in the direction of said dimension, while contacting the fabric for allowing its hook to ensnare a basting thread therein, to thereafter withdraw from said first opening near the opposite side;

(h) at least one pair of tweezer jaws normally biased closed; a (i) second means for mounting said tweezer jaws for rotation about a pivot located within said housing interior such that said jaws pass adjacent to said aiszaao second opening once for each complete revolution in a predetermined direction; I

(j)' first spreader means located next to said second opening and in the path of said jaws for separating them just prior to their passage across said second opening when rotating in said predetermined direction;

(16) second spreader means located away from said second opening but in the path of said jaws for separating them subsequent to their passage across said second opening; and

(1) third means for constantly rotating said disc in one predetermined direction and for constantly rotating said tweezer jaws in said predetermined direction.

18. A mechanical basting puller according to claim 17 6 wherein a plurality of thread ensnaring means are spaced 7 about the periphery of said disc, and there are a plurality of spaced apart said second openings each having a pair of tweezer jaws individual thereto but rotated about said pivot by said third means. i

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A MECHANICAL BASTING PULLER COMPRISING: (A) A HOLLOW INTERIOR MEMBER HAVING A PORTION OF ITS EXTERIOR SURFACE ADAPTED FOR CONTACT WITH FABRIC CONTAINING BASTING THREAD STITCHING; (B) AT LEAST ONE OPENING IN SAID SURFACE PORTION FOR ACCESS TO SAID INTERIOR, SAID OPENING HAVING AT LEAST ONE DIMENSION BETWEEN OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF OF A SIZE TO EXPOSE A LENGTH OF BASTING THREAD THEREUNDER WHICH LIES IN THE PLANE OF THE FABRIC; (C) AN APERTURE ELSEWHERE IN SAID MEMBER FOR ACCESS TO ITS INTERIOR WHICH IS ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO A SUCTION SOURCE IN ORDER TO DRAW AIR THROUGH SAID OPENING INTO SAID INTERIOR; (D) AT LEAST ONE BASTING THREAD ENSNARING MEANS HAVING A WORKING END WHICH IS BENT INTO A HOOK; (E) FIRST MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID ENSNARING MEANS WITHIN SAID INTERIOR SO THAT ITS WORKING END IS FREE TO ENTER SAID OPENING NEAR ONE SIDE AND SWEEP THEREACROSS IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID ONE DIMENSION, WHILE CONTACTING THE FABRIC FOR ALLOWING ITS HOOK TO ENSNARE A BASTING THREAD THEREIN, TO THEREAFTER WITHDRAW FROM SAID OPENING NEAR THE OPPOSITE SIDE; AND (F) SECOND MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID FIRST MEANS FOR CAUSING THE LATTER TO REPETITIVELY SWEEP SAID WORKING END ACROSS SAID OPENING. 